The first catapult launch of the F-35C Lightning II took place at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst (MDL) in Lakehurst, N.J., Wednesday, July 27, 2011. Chief Aviation Boatswain’s Mate (Launch and Recovery Equipment) Brandon Barr used a TC-13 Mod 2 test steam catapult, representative of current fleet technology, to launch F-35C test aircraft CF-3 into the sky with Navy Lt. Chris Tabert at the controls.